Fodder Vetch vs small tortoiseshell

Vicia villosa compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

Fodder Vetch is Vulnerable while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Fodder Vetch	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Fabales (Legumes & Allies)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Fabaceae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Vicia	Aglais
Species	Vicia villosa	Aglais urticae

Conservation Status

Fodder Vetch

VU — Vulnerable

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Fodder Vetch	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Fodder Vetch

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, and Mediterranean forests and woodlands, among 9 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Asia (9 countries), Europe (16 countries), North America (Canada, Mexico, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (4 countries). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

small tortoiseshell

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (41 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Fodder Vetch

No description available.

small tortoiseshell

small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List. Close to qualifying as threatened, with populations that may become vulnerable without conservation action.